Zach Hodskins was born with one arm, but from a very young age he has focused on his ability rather than his disability.

He took a love of basketball, a positive attitude, faith and great determination to build his skills to be become one of the top High School players in Georgia. “I just love basketball so much, and my motivation was so great that, even if I wanted to give it up, I just couldn’t. It’d tear me up. So, I just kept going hard every day, and I made it,” Zach told ABC News.

In fact, Zach is not only a top High School player, but has been recruited by the University of Florida Gators! Beyond basketball, Zach’s lifelong goal is to be an inspiration to other children. His skills, attitude and perseverance are nothing short of amazing.

These videos tell Zach’s incredible story and display his amazing achievements on and off the basketball court:

In this interview from ESPN, Zach talks about what inspired him to pursue basketball:

Topics for Discussion:

What is one lesson you can learn and apply in your own life from Zach?

Take Action:

Find a child with special needs in your school or neighborhood and try to become their friend.

If you ever see someone with special needs being teased or bullied, stick up for them and tell a teacher or adult immediately.

Think about a big goal that you have. It could be for school, for family, or any other important area of your life. Write it down, using this goal worksheet or create your own worksheet. Keep track of your progress, stick with it and reward yourself when you have completed it. Keep doing this and you will be surprised at how much you can achieve.

Teacher Features:

Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.

Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.